Traditional cookware typically includes a flat bottom and one or more side walls that are designed to contain a food/liquid that is to be cooked or heated. The bottom and side wall(s) of the cookware are usually made from metal, and the metallic surfaces of the cookware are heated through thermal conduction, convection, and/or induction, depending on the type of cooktop. As a result, the entire cooking surface of the cookware is heated, which in turn heats the contents of the cookware.